logo
King and Queen ‘working on' finding an elusive first Royal Epsom Derby winner

King and Queen ‘working on' finding an elusive first Royal Epsom Derby winner

Daily Mirror4 days ago
The King made the disclosure during a visit to Newmarket with the Queen when the couple took in a tour of the National Stud and the Jockey Club Rooms
King Charles has given a clear hint he is committed to horse racing in the long term by revealing, 'We're working on' trying to unearth a horse capable of winning the Epsom Derby in the royal colours.

The King was widely believed not to share his mother Queen Elizabeth II's passion for the sport when he inherited the royal racehorse string on her death in 2022.

But though there was some culling of the number of horses in training, the ones he and the Queen have kept have delivered 27 Flat wins, including Royal Ascot winner Desert Hero who became their first Classic runner in the 2023 St Leger, which have earned over £760,000.

Charles and Camilla visited the centre of the racing industry on Tuesday when they spent time at the Jockey Club Rooms and toured the nearby National Stud in Newmarket.
The couple went on a meet and greet with the public after more than a 1,000 people flocked to the Suffolk town's centre and the King, who is receiving ongoing cancer treatment.
Thoroughbreds owned by the late Queen won four out of the five flat racing classics - the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks twice and the St Leger - with only the Derby eluding her.
She came closest to winning the historic race just four days after her coronation when she attended her first Derby as reigning monarch to see Aureole, bred by the Queen's late father, King George VI, finished second.
Her last runner Carlton House went off a hotly fancied 5-2 favourite for the famous Classic but the colt finished third after losing a shoe during the race.

As he toured the Jockey Club Rooms, a retreat for members and the public, he chatted to his racing manager John Warren, Jockey Club staff and members, and some of the chairs of racecourses run by the club, which include Newmarket, Epsom, Aintree and Cheltenham.
Brian Finch, chairman of Epsom Downs Racecourse, home to the world-famous Derby, said after speaking to the King: "We were talking about him getting a Derby runner and he said 'we're working on it'.
"Everybody is hoping the royal family will have a Derby winner soon."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret
Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret

The Herald Scotland

time22 minutes ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Fitzella fits the bill for Hugo Palmer in Princess Margaret

This time she was the 9-4 favourite under Oisin Murphy, and took up the running early on to set a good pace from the front. As the race developed the contenders behind her attempted to close, but the daughter of Too Darn Hot was well able to keep her head in front to claim an eventual one-length win from George Scott's Staya. Oisin Murphy returns victorious aboard Fitzella (John Walton/PA) Palmer said: 'Oisin was very upset when he came in from the Albany as he felt he sat too close to a very strong pace, he did realise and took back but the damage was already kind of done by then. 'We felt on reflection that it was her class that allowed her to finish fourth on that occasion. 'She was probably drawn on the wrong side of the track that day as well and today the plan was to hold her up and race more patiently and use her finish. 'She pinged the lids and Oisin had to go straight to plan B and it worked very nicely. He didn't go hard and of course she's very exciting. 'She was an expensive yearling but has always been beautiful and still is and I'm delighted she's a Group winner now. 'I've only watched it once so I don't know how tough Oisin has had to be on her. She was very game and very willing which is what she has been at home since the get-go. I'm delighted today, but just sad she's not a Royal Ascot winner.' A great attitude shown! Fitzella battles hard to strike in the Princess Margaret Stakes at @Ascot for @oismurphy and @hpalmerracing… — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 26, 2025 Coral made Fitzella a 25-1 chance for next May's 1000 Guineas, but more immediate in Palmer's thoughts is the Breeders' Cup, with a trip to France a possibility before crossing the Atlantic to Del Mar in November. Palmer continued: 'She's shown great gate speed today and the Breeders' Cup would definitely be on the radar, she will definitely run again and possibly twice, but I wouldn't think more than that. 'It's her fourth start of the year and I wouldn't want her to have many more than five or six runs. 'She has a Moyglare entry, but that is a very stiff seven furlongs and I would have thought the Prix du Calvados at Deauville may be the right option, it's a month away. She wouldn't want soft ground though, so we will have to see what the weather brings.'

Woman from Mickleover cycles men's Tour de France for charity
Woman from Mickleover cycles men's Tour de France for charity

BBC News

time4 hours ago

  • BBC News

Woman from Mickleover cycles men's Tour de France for charity

A woman who says cycling saved her life has completed the men's Tour de France route to raise money for Hudson cycled 6,556km (4,073 miles) on the formidable course, as well as the transfers in between the 29-year-old, from Mickleover, Derby, also managed to raise more than £70,000 for a mental health Hudson believes she is the first woman to complete the challenge. "I don't think it's set in that I've done it," she said."I wanted to do something to raise money to give back and prove that a woman can ride the men's [Tour de France], plus the transfers as well." Mrs Hudson turned to cycling after experiencing a "complete breakdown" during the suffered from an eating disorder from the age of about 17 until she was 2021, while working as a mental health nurse, she began experiencing intrusive thoughts and anxiety, before eventually deciding to quit her husband Kyle bought her a bicycle which she rode in the Peak District every other weekend with her dad."It was the only time when I could escape from my mind," she said."It gave me that sense of feeling worthy again when I felt so worthless because I felt like a failure from leaving my job.""Getting on the bike made me feel alive again."Mrs Hudson began documenting her cycling adventures on social media, where she has since amassed tens of thousands of followers. Over the past month, Mrs Hudson has cycled the 21 stages of the 3,320km (2,063 miles) Tour de France route, climbing through mountain ranges in the Alps and Pyrenees. She also rode the transfers in between the stages, along which the professional athletes are driven, thereby adding more than 3,000km (1,864 miles) to her gruelling total elevation gain was 74,862m (245,000ft). Mrs Hudson has raised in the region of £70,000 for mental health charity Shout - smashing her target of £10, added: "Hopefully it inspires people to not give up when it gets hard because I was close to giving up at one point in my life and I'm glad that I didn't because I wouldn't be here doing this." If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support is available via the BBC Action Line

King Charles' former gardener shares tribute to the late Queen within Balmoral gardens
King Charles' former gardener shares tribute to the late Queen within Balmoral gardens

Daily Record

time5 hours ago

  • Daily Record

King Charles' former gardener shares tribute to the late Queen within Balmoral gardens

Queen Elizabeth has a hidden tribute within Balmoral's new gardens - and it has a sweet nod to Scotland. King Charles former gardener has lifted the lid on the secret tribute the monarch paid to his late mother Queen Elizabeth within Balmoral's new gardens. It comes as they enter their final couple of weeks of being open to the public. ‌ King Charles and Queen Camilla will soon spend their summer in Scotland. The Balmoral estate, located in the Highlands, has been the Scottish residence of the royals since the 1800s and is where the Royal Family often spend the Christmas period. ‌ It was a beloved spot particularly by the late Queen Elizabeth, who passed away in 2022, and it's also a place King Charles spent much of his childhood. ‌ The grounds have been open to the public since last year but the castle gardens have been newly renovated with a Thistle maze, the Celtic maze garden, as well as a generous array of topiary, trees and shrubbery. And Jack Stooks, who worked as a senior gardener at Highgrove for King Charles for over two decades, reveals why the designs have such a personal touch. ‌ Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Jack Stooks reveals that The mazes feel like a reflection of Charles' childhood. He explained, "Mazes are very special to Charles as he used to love playing in the maze at Sandringham when he was young. His grandmother, the late Queen Mother, used to speak fondly about her memories of him in the maze and how much he loved the topiary. "It's likely Charles wanted to bring some of the nostalgia of his childhood back to the Balmoral gardens and make it a place of fun and excitement for future generations. Balmoral was also a very special residence for the Queen, so Charles will want others to enjoy a place that was so special for his mother. It's like a tribute to her." ‌ Jack explained that Charles is heavily involved with planning, especially as he has a passion for gardening 'Charles has an amazing work ethic and he's very hands on. I remember doing some topiary pieces for him in Scotland with two yew trees that resided in the vegetable garden. I did a drawing and suggested finishing the top with the Prince of Wales feathers. The drawing came back with a handwritten note from Charles that praised the design but suggested swapping the feathers for a cone. He takes the time to consider these things, and it helps that he has a love for gardening and greenery.' The gardens at Balmoral are a present for future generations, says Jack. 'Now Balmoral is open to the public, Charles wants to make the grounds as inviting as possible for everyone. He wants to make it a place that's exciting for future generations too. The grounds are quite bare as it's cold for much of the year, but the topiary in the mazes have an evergreen appeal. Plus, they've included thistle within the topiary as a proud nod to Scotland. Despite being English, Charles knows how important it is to pay tribute to Balmoral's rich history in the Highlands.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store